Arizona Wildcats Fall Short Against Colorado Buffaloes in Close Big 12 Battle

Wildcats led late but couldn't hold on as Buffaloes rally in fourth quarter

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The Arizona Wildcats battled the Colorado Buffaloes in a close Big 12 matchup, with the game featuring 12 lead changes and 6 ties. Arizona held a 7-point lead with 6:34 remaining, but Colorado used an 18-3 run to outscore the Wildcats 23-13 in the fourth quarter and pull out a 78-70 victory at ALKEME Arena.

Why it matters

This loss is another tough one for the young and small Arizona team, which has struggled to close out close games this season despite their competitive effort. The Wildcats' inability to handle Colorado's defensive pressure down the stretch proved costly, highlighting an area they'll need to improve on going forward.

The details

Arizona guard Lani Cornfield had a career-high 25 points, but the Wildcats couldn't overcome Colorado's strong finish. The Buffaloes tightened their defense in the final minutes, creating turnovers that led to their decisive run. Arizona coach Becky Burke praised her team's effort, but lamented their inability to "pull these out" in close games.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, February 18, 2026 in McKale Center at ALKEME Arena.

The players

Lani Cornfield

An Arizona guard who scored a career-high 25 points in the loss.

Becky Burke

The head coach of the Arizona Wildcats women's basketball team.

Molly Ladwig

An Arizona guard whose "blue collar" play helped the Wildcats in the fourth quarter.

Sumayah Sugapong

An Arizona player who has struggled with foul trouble and discipline issues this season, including picking up a technical foul in this game.

Tanyuel Welch

An Arizona player who had a team-high 5 rebounds in the game.

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What they’re saying

“I'm proud of their effort and you know, I just wish so badly for them that they could, you know, win some of these close ones and just find a way down the stretch to just pull these out. They're working so hard. They're working their butts off and they deserve it and they've earned it. But unfortunately, like at this level, there is very, very little room for error down the stretch or slippage and you know, we've had some.”

— Becky Burke, Arizona Head Coach (allsportstucson.com)

“Just staying mentally strong. I mean, I think there was, you know, there was a lot of calls that we may or may not have agreed with. There was a lot of things that could have or could not have gone our way, but just making sure that like we're not being too emotional on with our reactions, not being too caught up in what the other team's doing or what the crowd's saying or whatever else. Like just making sure we're still locked in.”

— Lani Cornfield, Arizona Guard (allsportstucson.com)

What’s next

The Wildcats will look to bounce back when they travel to Waco, TX to take on the Baylor Bears on Saturday, February 22nd at 6:00 PM. Their final home game of the season and Senior Night is scheduled for Tuesday, February 24th against Houston.

The takeaway

Despite the loss, this young Arizona team continues to show fight and character, refusing to shut down even as their record has struggled. While they couldn't quite pull out this close game against Colorado, the Wildcats' effort and growth throughout the season has been admirable, and they'll look to finish strong in their final games.